After being jilted, the entire neighboring village was filled with deep regret.

The group was caught in a dilemma: whether to get off the bus or not. So they just waited.

Su Yongzhang asked curiously, "Grandpa Liu, who is Princess Qingkang?"

Liu Laosan replied with a serious expression: "Princess Qingkang is the Ninth Prince's youngest daughter. She married Zhao Taifu's son and is the eldest daughter-in-law of the Zhao family. Strange! What happened? Could it be that Zhao Qinghe was secretly keeping a woman outside and she found out?"
"Hiss! That's not right! If this were the case, Princess Qingkang should be going to her father, not running to the palace to see the Emperor. Could it be that the Zhao family wants to divorce her?"

The more the three children listened, the more black lines appeared on their foreheads.

Shen Congrong tugged at Liu Laosan's sleeve, "Grandpa, she's gone inside. Should we get out of the car?"

Liu Laosan came to his senses and quickly led the three children downstairs.

Princess Qingkang cried all the way to the Imperial Study, where she knelt before the Emperor and kowtowed repeatedly, pleading, "Your Majesty, please seek justice for my daughter!"

The emperor's expression changed slightly. "Qingkang, let's talk this out. What happened?"

Princess Qingkang remained kneeling, choking back tears as she said, "Your Majesty, my daughter Furong ate a few pieces of golden silk cake in the palace yesterday and suffered from vomiting and diarrhea. She died early this morning!"

"Hiss!" The emperor and the eunuch exchanged a glance, both utterly shocked.

The eunuch said anxiously, "This servant remembers that Miss Zhao did indeed go to the palace to pay her respects to the Empress Dowager and the Empress yesterday, but neither palace summoned the Golden Thread Cake yesterday! Nor did they invite Miss Zhao to dine in the palace. How could Miss Zhao have gotten into trouble after eating the Golden Thread Cake?"

Princess Qingkang immediately sent her maid Zhu Sha forward to reply.

Zhu Sha trembled all over and fell to the ground. Noticing the sharp gaze above her, she said in a trembling voice, "It was from Young Master Shen when Miss passed by the Bo Academy yesterday on her way out of the palace."

"Which Young Master Shen?" The emperor's voice was unreadable.

Princess Qingkang gritted her teeth and replied, "It is Shen Congrong, the grandson of Marquis Yong'an!"

"How could Shen Congrong have golden silk cake?" The emperor suddenly noticed the suspicious point.

Zhu Sha couldn't answer.

In order to find out the truth of the matter, the emperor summoned the Empress Dowager, the Empress, and Shen Congrong.

At this moment, Liu Laosan was sitting in the Bo Academy, coldly observing Manager Qi and the others. He was a general who had been on the battlefield. As soon as he unleashed his aura, the old hands in the Bo Academy felt like they were sitting on pins and needles, both angry and anxious, but no one dared to be the first to speak out.

When the father-in-law arrived and saw this scene, he was stunned for a moment. "My lord, what... why did you suddenly decide to work at the Imperial Academy?"

Liu Laosan seemed to have found someone to confide in, and pulled her father-in-law aside to complain, "These people are inhuman! Not only did they bully the children, but they also made them go hungry for a whole day. Father-in-law, do you think I should ask the Emperor for an explanation?"

Manager Qi panicked and hurriedly explained, "My lord, yesterday the Academy was too busy and no one paid attention to them. They didn't come to collect their food when it was time, and we didn't see them. We didn't even think about it. It wasn't that I was deliberately making things difficult for them!"

"Hmph! Keep that nonsense to fool yourself!" Old Liu clenched his fist in anger, not appeased by Steward Qi's words.

The eunuch hurriedly said, "My lord, forget about that for now, something has happened! Princess Qingkang's youngest daughter, Zhao Furong, is dead, and the Emperor wants to see Lord Shen."

Liu Laosan's expression changed drastically, and he quickly pulled Shen Congrong into his arms, "What does the death of Princess Qingkang's daughter have to do with my grandson?"

Everyone pricked up their ears to listen carefully. The eunuch glanced at Shen Congrong and said, "Zhu Sha, the maidservant of Miss Zhao, said that Miss Zhao died from poisoning after eating the golden silk cake given to her by Young Master Shen. Now, Princess Qingkang is appealing to the Emperor for justice!"

Shen Congrong looked at Xiong Feng in astonishment.

Xiong Feng immediately stepped forward, his face pale, and said, "Father-in-law, I was also present at yesterday's events. May I go with Cong Rong?"

"Let's go! Everyone who knows the truth, let's go together!" The father-in-law said urgently, leading the group out of the Bo Academy quickly.

Listening to the discussions around him, Steward Qi broke out in a cold sweat despite the freezing weather.

Others might not know, but he was certain that he had received instructions from above yesterday to specifically collect food from Shen Congrong and the other two, leaving them hungry. However, he genuinely knew nothing about the golden thread cake incident, and he was worried that the Emperor might investigate.
Manager Qi dared not think too deeply about it and could only secretly pray that the matter would not involve him.

At this moment, Shen Congrong and the others entered the Imperial Study under the guidance of their father-in-law.

All eyes were on Shen Congrong. Seeing his refined manner and handsome appearance, it was impossible to associate him with harming others.

The Empress Dowager said suspiciously, "Qingkang, are you mistaken? This is just a child. Why would he harm Furong? Besides, this child only entered the palace for the first time yesterday!"

Princess Qingkang wept bitterly, "Your Majesty, please understand! My daughter is dead. I only wish to seek justice for her. I will not wrong anyone, but I will absolutely not let the murderer of Furong get away with it! Waaaaah!"

Liu Laosan immediately knelt down and shouted loudly, "Your Majesty, my grandson is indeed innocent! He just arrived in the capital and took office for the first time yesterday. He doesn't know Miss Zhao at all and has no grudge against her. He... he has no reason to harm anyone!"

Not only did Liu Laosan not believe it, but even Princess Qingkang doubted Zhu Sha's words after seeing Shen Congrong.

The emperor's sharp gaze fell on Shen Congrong, his imposing presence radiating authority even without anger. "Shen Congrong, tell me, what's the story behind the Golden Silk Cake?"

Shen Congrong calmly cupped his hands in a bow, "Your Majesty, yesterday after I arrived at the Bo Academy, no one took care of me. After noon, I went out to look for food, but I found no food in the Bo Academy. So I had no choice but to leave the Bo Academy with my brother Xiong Feng."

Just as I reached the corner, I encountered a young eunuch carrying a food box. He called out to me, saying that it contained golden thread cakes bestowed by the Emperor, which he had specially saved for me.

I didn't understand, and before I could refuse, the golden silk cake was snatched away by Miss Zhao's maid.

Miss Zhao rebuked me, saying I was unworthy to eat the golden thread cake. She then ate a piece in front of me and Brother Xiong Feng, and took the rest of the cakes with her. The three of us ate nothing but tea in the palace yesterday. I beg Your Majesty to see the truth.

Liu Laosan nodded hurriedly, "Your Majesty, I and the servants in the manor can all testify that these three children were like starving ghosts when they went back yesterday, and each of them ate three large bowls of rice."

"I was so angry after learning what had happened that I went to the palace with them today."

Princess Qingkang, her face pale, shook her head angrily, tears streaming down her face like beads from a broken string.

"You're talking nonsense! How could my Furong say such things or do such things! She's dead, and you still want to slander her like this! What are you up to?"

Shen Congrong said calmly, "Madam, everything I said is true, and I have no intention of slandering Miss Zhao."

Xiong Feng, standing to the side, replied with a pale face, "In fact, Miss Zhao's insults yesterday were even more offensive, but she just didn't say them out loud."

"What did she say?" the Empress pressed. (End of Chapter)